


Flannel

by Quoshara



Series: Ebb and Flow [1]
Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: Epiphany, M/M, Pre-Slash, flannel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-21
Updated: 2011-05-21
Packaged: 2017-10-19 15:52:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/202567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quoshara/pseuds/Quoshara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which there is flannel and Tommy Burgers:</p>
<p>Murray isn't often left alone on the Riptide.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flannel

**Author's Note:**

> Written, as always, for my P-i-C.

* * *

He really shouldn't be doing this. It was obviously wrong - a violation of privacy and a betrayal of trust. But here he was, just the same, sneaking into Cody's closet like the proverbial thief in the night. And not for the first time.

The first time had been one night when Nick was gone on his weekend drill and Cody had gone off to visit his family. It was such a rarity that he was left all alone on the Riptide that it kind of spooked him. Okay, the fact that he had stayed up late watching a Christopher Lee double-feature probably hadn't helped either. He'd woken up after only a half an hour, heart beating fast from the remains of his nightmare, eyes wide and hearing only the odd susurrations of the water and the creaking of the mooring lines as the ship swayed with the surf. It was eerie. Far too much like the vampire movie with it's scenes of the _Demeter_ and it's lost crew.

He knew he was being silly. Really, he did. But then the rain started - odd enough on the California coast - and the lightning flashed. He turned on all the lights in the salon and went through the entire ship, double-checking the locks on the hatches and ports.

The next big boom of thunder shook the walls and had him scurrying into Nick and Cody's stateroom. He had felt a bit better there, more secure with the lights of the pier shining in, but the hair on the back of his neck was still prickling and his neck - his neck felt like a shining beacon of white skin, beckoning vampires in his direction.

Then he saw it. Cody's robe. It was tossed casually over the foot of the bed and all he could think about was bundling himself inside it and pulling the plaid collar up around his neck.

The minute he pulled it on, he felt better. It was warm and soft, the fabric well-worn, and smelled faintly of Cody's aftershave. He wore it the rest of the night, wrapped tight in its embrace it was almost as if Cody was there, joking him out of his fears and making him feel safe the way Cody always did.

He had taken it off before Nick got home the next day, and returned it to it's place on the foot of Cody's bunk with no one the wiser.

But after that, he found himself sneaking into Nick and Cody's room whenever they left him alone. If he felt the least bit insecure or lonely or sometimes, he had to be honest, even when he just wanted to feel more comfortable, he put the robe on and he was. He was braver, more comfortable, more secure. It was like that plaid robe was some kind of super costume - put it on and you were protected, invulnerable.

It took him awhile to figure out that it wasn't the robe that really made him feel that way. That it wasn't the softness and the warmth but rather, the smell - aftershave and Cody.

It wasn't a long step from there to figuring out that it was just Cody.

Cody made him feel safe.

Cody made him feel warm.

Cody made him feel secure.

Cody made him...feel.

And that epiphanic thought made him feel stupid and idiotic, because... well, it didn't take a genius to figure out that nothing was going to happen in that direction.

But even that realization did not keep him from slipping on Cody's robe whenever he got the chance, nor did it keep him from dreaming while wrapped in it's embrace. Dreaming of real arms wrapped around him, Cody's arms, warm and safe.

That's exactly what he wanted to do tonight. That's why he went sneaking into the other stateroom the moment that Nick and Cody had gone off to _Straightaways._ He'd stayed behind, giving the excuse of waiting for a new program to finish up. Honestly though, he just hadn't felt like going to see what girl Cody would spend the night romancing while he sat at the table, nursing a Coke and scribbling equations on a napkin just to keep himself distracted.

And there it was. Not hung up in the closet as it normally was, but tossed negligently across the foot of the bunk, just like the first time. Cody had worn it after his shower and it was still slightly damp and smelled even stronger of aftershave than it normally did.

Murray settled it over his shoulders like a long lost friend, tying the belt around his waist and snuggling down into it. It almost like a drug, an addiction, that enticing smell and the thought of the body that had so recently occupied that very same space.

Closing his eyes, he fell back on the bunk, drinking in the scent and the warmth, letting it overwhelm him like it always did.

"Cody... God..."

"Murray? What are you doing?"

Murray froze, his eyes still shut. Surely that voice had only been his overactive imagination? Cody was at _Straightaways_ ...with Nick...dancing with some bleached blonde. He couldn't be home.

"Murray?"

His imagination was growing insistent.

"Um... Hi, Cody." Murray opened his eyes.

"Murray, why are you in here...and wearing my robe?"

"Wearing your... Oh, well, you see there's a very good explanation for that, Cody." _And as soon as I think of it, I'll tell you. Jeeze!_

"There is?" At least Cody's voice didn't sound angry.

"Well, of course there is... I mean I wouldn't just be sneaking in here to wear your robe because that would be... um... I mean you'd probably think that was weird, huh?"

"Murray..." Okay, not angry, but just on the edge of impatience.

"I was just... and then...." Murray stopped and sighed, looking down at his hands. "Okay, I've got nothing. I'm a weird little geek who likes to wear his friend's robe because it's warm and smells like him and makes me feel safe."

"Have you been feeling not safe, Murray?" Cody's voice was puzzled now. "Because if we, Nick or I, have done something to make you feel that way we--"

"No! No! It's not you. It's just me." _I love you, Cody, and this is the only way I have of being close to you._

"I love you too, Murray..." _Oh, God, had he said that out loud?_

"...and I tried to get you to come with us tonight. We could have spent time together there."

He _had_ said it out loud but, apparently, Cody had misunderstood. _Thank God._

"No... it's fine." Murray quickly took off the robe, laying it back on the foot of the bunk. "I was just being silly. Really. I know I could have gone with you, but I wanted to get that program run and then... I just missed you, I guess."

"Ah, Murray. It's okay. I miss you too when you don't go with us." Cody put his arm around Murray's shoulder, leading him back up to the salon. "That's kind of why I came back early."

"It is?" Murray's voice almost squeaked, he was so surprised.

"Of course it is. You work too hard, Mur, and I think sometimes Nick and I take advantage of you. You need to get out more. Have some fun, you know?"

"But I never feel like you do, Cody. Really." Murray hastened to assure him. "I love working for you guys."

"But that's just it. You don't work _for_ us, Murray, you work _with_ us." Cody frowned. "I thought you knew that by now."

"Yes. I do. I just..." Murray's voice trailed off.

"Just what?"

"I like doing things for _you,_ Cody." He couldn't keep the slight emphasis out of his words, no matter how hard he tried.

"And I like doing things for you, Mur. So go downstairs, get your jacket. We're going to _Tommy's_ for the biggest chili burger they've got."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Cody chuckled at him and Murray almost ran down the stairs.

Okay, this wasn't a date. Murray knew that in his head, but his heart still sped up with the thought of an hour or so of Cody's undivided attention. _This would be so Boss._ Him, and Cody, and a gigantic _Tommy's_ burger. It would even be worth the resultant heartburn... both kinds.

He'd have to give up wearing Cody's robe though. He knew that. It would be hard, but Cody catching him in it once was amusing, but if it happened twice - well, even easy-going Cody would have to think that was a little bit...odd. And that really was not how he wanted Cody to see him. Geeky was okay because, yes, he had to admit it was true. But odd or...somehow fixated on him...was not the impression he wanted to give. He wasn't fixated. He was just hopelessly in love.

Giving a deep sigh, Murray put an expectant smile on his face and bounced back up the stairs.

" _Tommy's_ is so Boss, Cody. Let's go."

  


* * *

  



End file.
